Writing 150 - Semester Reflection Essay

Nathan DeBeikes

Writing 150

Ian McArthur

December 13, 2015

Writing 150 Final

        This semester has been incredible. As my first semester of college, I have to say that it was one of the most educating three and a half months of my life. I returned from my mission in July, and was very excited to start school. My mission gave me a sense of purpose, a sense that I could take on the world and do anything I set my mind to. Because of this, I came into this semester, and more specifically, Writing 150, with the mindset that I was going to learn how to be better and take full advantage of my education. I believe that I became a much better writer in this class. I feel as though I learned the proper techniques of rhetorical appeals, how to put my own voice into everything I write, and how to make writing a fun experience.

        Before this semester, I was not knowledgeable at all when it came to rhetorical tools. I wasn’t familiar with ethos, pathos, or logos besides the fact that I had heard the terms once or twice. My writing classes in high school I felt were good classes, but we learned the very basics. I believe I was a strong writer coming into high school, and I feel that my mission helped me establish my voice, having to write in a journal every day for 700 days straight. I did not, however, have specific knowledge of tools that could help me inspire others with my writing. In this class, I learned all about ethos, pathos, and logos. These tools were something that were mentioned almost every class period for the first couple months until I knew them like the back of my hand. I learned how to use timing to my advantage, how to show that I am a credible resource, and how to prove my ideas through proper logic. Rhetorical tools are something that I will be able to use for the rest of my life, and I owe that to this Writing 150 class.

        As I mentioned earlier, I felt that I was able to establish my voice on my mission. Although this is true, I still was not confident in being able to write a formal paper, but still show my voice throughout it. Because of different exercises in this class, along with the papers that we had to write, I feel as though I can now put my voice into any paper I write. One thing that I loved about this class was the conference sessions that we would have with each paper that we were to write. I learned how I can still be professional, but be myself at the same time. The Opinion Editorial in particular helped me with this. It was a semi-formal paper, where I had to write as if I was actually talking to high school students who were trying to decide which college to attend. I had to show them that I was a credible resource on the topic, but also show them that I was just in their position, and I know how they feel. This, along with many other things in the class, forced me to put my own voice into my work, and really stretched me to be myself as a writer. Along with learning to put my own voice into my writing, I also learned how to have fun with it.